Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Using a hair dryer
• Method 2 of 3: Using an iron
• Method 3 of 3: Cool the wax and use compressed air
• Tips
• Warnings

Candles are a great addition to almost any room in your home. Unfortunately, this atmospheric lighting can cause a mess. Do you have a stubborn stain of dried candle wax on your tablecloth, clothing or candle holder that you just can't remove? Don't worry - with the right approach, cleaning up spilled wax is really easy. Removal is often a matter of remelting or cooling the wax so you can chop it away. Go to step 1 to get started.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Using a hair dryer

1. Find a hair dryer and plug it in. With this method, you use a hair dryer to reheat and melt the wax for easy sweeping. This method works well on hard surfaces such as table tops and candle holders. It just doesn't work that well if you have candle wax on your tablecloth or clothes. This is especially the case when it comes to colored candle wax. If you melt the candle wax and do not let it soak directly in a cloth, this can cause the stain to become even bigger.
2. Heat the wax with the hair dryer until it melts. Set your hair dryer on a high setting and heat the wax with it. Try not to blow off the wax - it's easier to wipe off when it's all in a pile instead of scattered across the surface.
3. Wipe away the wax. Use an inexpensive cleaning cloth or paper towel to wipe up the melted wax. It can be difficult to remove the wax from the cloth you are using. So don't use one of your "nice" cloths. An old rag, tissue or paper towel will do.
4. Remove the remaining candle wax. If a thin layer of candle wax remains, remove it with a little aerosol cleaner and a damp cloth or sponge. An all-purpose cleaner works fine for this. If you are removing the wax from a delicate surface (such as a nice wooden table top), be careful not to damage this surface with a scouring pad or cloth.
5. Repeat the process as needed. If there are some bits of candle wax left after sweeping and scrubbing, melt them again using your hair dryer and wipe them away. Then use a cleaner again to further clean the surface. Repeat the process until all of the wax has been removed.

Method 2 of 3: Using an iron

1. Set an iron to the middle position. This method works in much the same way as the hair dryer method. Here too you use the heat to melt the dried candle wax. The difference, however, is that you use the candle wax with this method during melting can already record, instead of wiping it away afterwards. This method is therefore a good choice for removing candle wax from fabrics or clothing.
   • Even though it may be obvious, be careful with this method, just like in any other case when you use an iron. Handle the iron with care - if you're not sure if the iron is hot, drop a few drops of water on it instead of feeling it with your fingers. Do not leave a hot iron without being there. Never lay the iron flat for too long.
2. Place a few cloths over the wax. While you wait for the iron to heat up, place a few pieces of paper towel or tissues over the wax. These pieces must be the same size or larger than the iron. Place a cloth kitchen towel on top of the paper towels.
3. Place the iron on the kitchen towel. Run the iron gently over the cloth, as if you were ironing a piece of clothing. This will gradually heat and melt the wax. The melted candle wax is then immediately absorbed by the pieces of kitchen roll. By moving the iron gently back and forth you ensure that you do not burn the kitchen towel.
4. Replace the paper towels if necessary. From time to time, remove the iron and paper towels to check your progress. When the paper towels are full of melted candle wax, throw them away and lay out new ones. Repeat the process until all the wax has been absorbed into the paper towels.
   • It is important to replace paper towels that are full of wax. If you don't do this and just leave the paper towels lying around, the wax will no longer be absorbed and you will spread the hot wax over the fabric. The stain can still be done like this taller and of course you don't want that.
5. Turn off the iron. When you think there is nothing more you can do, turn off the iron and throw away the paper towels. Be patient - this can take more than ten minutes. Once you have soaked as much wax as possible into the paper towels, you should only be able to see a slight discoloration in the fabric (assuming the wax was colored).
6. Remove the final discoloration with carpet cleaner. To remove the discoloration from the fabric, use a carpet or upholstery cleaner. Use the correct cleaner - one that won't damage the fabric - and gently rub the stain with a wet cloth after letting the cleaner soak in.

Method 3 of 3: Cool the wax and use compressed air

1. Buy a can of compressed air. Unlike the above methods, with this method you cool the wax to make it easier to chop or scrape off the surface. This method works well on hard surfaces, such as a table or counter top. Also use this method if the wax is too soft and sticky for easy removal, but not liquid enough to wipe or soak up with a cloth. This method also works well for fabrics that cannot be washed, such as viscose or silk.
   • You can buy a can of compressed air at most stationery or electronics stores. It is also often kept in places where computers are used, such as the office and school. Compressed air is often used to clean computers.
2. Spray the compressed air on the wax to cool it down. The cool, fast-moving airflow will gradually cool and harden the wax, making it more brittle.
3. Scrape off the wax. Once the wax has hardened, you can use the edge of your debit card (or another similar hard plastic item) to scrape away the wax. The wax should peel off easily and break off the surface into small pieces. Repeat the process if necessary until you have removed all of the wax.
   • You may be tempted to use a metal object (such as a knife) to scrape away the wax. Do not do this. Metal can scratch or dent the surface you're trying to remove the wax from, ruining it forever.
4. Use an all-purpose cleaner to remove the last residue. When you have scraped off as much wax as possible, you may have a thin layer or some leftovers. Use a little bit of all-purpose cleaner and a wet cloth to soak up the wax and the surface will look like new again.
5. If you are unable to remove the wax, use ice. Using ice to remove stubborn pieces of candle wax can cause a few puddles of wax to form. Still, this method is faster and more effective than compressed air. Grab an ice cube and a cloth and rub over the wax. Make sure the ice touches the wax. The colder the wax, the more fragile it becomes. So it will be easier to scrape it off.

Tips

• Candle wax and water do not mix. So washing the stain with water will not help remove the wax.
• A hair dryer can burn dust if you keep it too close. You run this risk especially when the hair dryer is set to a high setting.

Warnings

• Do not spray compressed air on your skin.